


Tria Capitula

by MaxtotheMaxi



Series: Reckless Emotions O' Lilith [3]
Category: The Owl House (Cartoon)
Genre: Dancing, F/F, Implied/Referenced Incest, Incest, Light Angst, Magic, Sibling Incest
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-25
Updated: 2020-11-25
Packaged: 2021-03-09 21:01:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,023
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27712421
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MaxtotheMaxi/pseuds/MaxtotheMaxi
Summary: Finding that piece of the puzzle requires some luck and some good old fashion realization.
Relationships: Eda Clawthorne/Lilith Clawthorne
Series: Reckless Emotions O' Lilith [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1990639
Comments: 15
Kudos: 46





	Tria Capitula

I: Confrontation

_What’s the matter with Lilith?_

A question that has been worming its way into Eda’s psyche lately. Lilith often tries to keep a mask of indifference when she is at school or in public, but it always slips in Eda’s company. She knows her sister well enough; knows how to get Lilith to lighten and loosen up. _Only does it sometimes backfire, only sometimes!_

The girl in question is missing from their habitual table in the refectory, her spot empty and cold. This behavior has slowly disturbed Eda’s sense of security and the worry has grown like a leeching mold over her heart. She might not be able to pinpoint when this rift had begun, but she has felt it for some time. _Maybe, after our Birthday party?_

This conundrum has been taking up much of her “free time,” and is starting to become noticeable; no scams or pranks or shattered eardrums! Even Principal Bump has grown more concerned than weary! Eda absolutely has something premeditated, just not right now: not with Lilith acting like her sister has the proverbial plague! 

The clacking of footfalls pulls Eda out of her preoccupation, it’s her dear friend from the Bard Track; Fawn Woodblood! Fawn’s bright rose eyes and toothy smile greet her as she turns toward her friend.

“Eda! My chaotic bestie, how’s it going,” she beamed. Eda’s eyes wandered back to the strikingly empty seat at their table. Eda breathed through her nose.

“Not well. She isn’t here again today. I have tried looking for her at all of her normal haunts.”

“Any luck?” Eda shook her head in defeat, a rare sight to many.

“I just wish I knew what was bothering her. When we’re at home, she isn’t like that.”

“Maybe school is getting to her? Ya’know with all the extra schoolwork she does ‘n all.”

Eda sat there with her hand cupping her jaw. Eda has skipped a couple of grades, early when she was a lot younger, having a knack for quick thinking and natural curiosity. She (as her parents and teachers continuously badger her about) is a prodigy. Eda feels no different from anyone else, however. Maybe that’s why she has such a problem with authority, rules never did appeal to her anyway. Not when there is so much to learn, she is starting to realize that this coven system isn’t all that cracked up to be, and who is the supreme authority? _Emperor Bellos._

Eda hasn’t shared any of that with her sister. Lilith would probably bust a blood vessel, then it would shatter her heart. Eda knows that Lilith covets nothing more to be among the Emperor’s finest and Eda knows Lilith wants her to be alongside her also. _I will have to tell her eventually._

Eda swiveled her head in her hand, more of her friends had gathered at the table, still no Lilith. She had been hoping that she was just running late, even tho Lilith is normally the first person here, she would be calmly reading some cutesy teen fiction novel. Dissatisfaction was never a good look on her; again, Eda forced air through her nostrils; she gathered her things and slung her pack over her back. “Sorry, Fawn, I need to look for her. See what’s vexing her.”

“Okay, bestie! I wish you good fortune!” she waved at Eda’s retreating back.

She retreaded her route from before; The Library, The Potions Homeroom, The Gym, The Duel Grounds, The Grudgby Field, The Green House, The Beast Stables, Potions Rooms 102; 103; and; 104, Room 156 (where they held the Emperor’s Appreciation Club), and The Bell Tower. She was nowhere: Eda sat frustrated at the lip of the belfry. Her incensed gaze trained on the yard below, the screaming of the bell denoted the changing of classes, and the end of her lunch period. She (along with her _dear sister_ ) has a free period, now. A shock of dark red hair caught her eye, weaving about the crowd, towards The Grudgby Field. Smirking she loosened the chalk from her bag and quickly drew a crude door on the floor. A burst of magic flashed, and Eda hopped into the portal.

The Grudgby Field had a locker room of sorts, it laid beyond the field towards the forest. It was undergoing a renovation and foot traffic there was scarce; _a perfect place to hide_ _from me…_

Eda poked her head out from the portal, the view was of a partially painted passage, the walls were covered in a thin white sheet. Bits of wood, bricks, and cans of red paint litter the lobby. The lamps are on; so, the power was still running to the building. The doors that lead deeper into the structure are off their hinges and were resting on the unpainted newly constructed wall by the foyer. Eda’s keen hearing picked up a faint noise emanating from down the corridor. 

As she ventured farther, through hanging cloths and over unpatched floorboards; that noise became a flowing roar, the squealing of rushing water. Eda turned into the locker room, the shiny reddish metal and glistening tile floor, gave little thought to what they had finalized first. Beyond that room lay the showers, the origin of the sound, white steam slowly crawled from the entry.

“Lilith are you in there?” Eda called out. A surprised yelp echoed throughout the mostly empty room.

“Eda? Eda is that you?” Lilith’s voice had a hint of confusion to it.

“Yep, it's me! Your favorite sister!” Eda stalked closer. The shower stall lacked any character, it was just a plank of bare dark wood, the lacquer reflects the overhead lamps. Lilith is tall, so the stall does nothing to hide her nakedness. Her school uniform is neatly folded on a bench that runs between the rows of showers, her pack resting beneath the bench. Eda slumps onto the wooden bar and fakes a loud yawn; she drops her head on the makeshift pillow consisting of her sister’s clothes. “Where, dear sister, have you been?” Eda mimics a posh intonation.

“I was doing a series of flexing exercises in Mr. Halter’s room,” Lilith explained, “It was very vigorous.”

“Oh,” Eda tries to hide her disappointment and fails. Lilith turns to her sister facing away from the hot water raining from the showerhead. Her skin is pinkish from the heat.

“What? Can’t I have some personal time?” Lilith's voice drips in accusation.

“No. You can do whatever you want,” Eda replies with a bit of force, “ _Sorry_ that _I_ was worried.” She is sitting up now; her eyes charging with that roaring fire of defiance she is famous for.

“You shouldn’t be. It isn’t like I ask you about _your_ whereabouts when you stalk off with those delinquents! It’s like you do not care about your future!” Lilith is yelling now. Eda is completely shocked at this sudden shouting match she has found herself in, but Eda isn’t a slouch. She won’t back down.

“Is that what is upsetting you? That I have friends! That I have a life outside of you!” Eda forces herself to her feet, they smack against the hard floor, “To think that I _actually_ cared about your wellbeing; this is the thanks I get? Are you jealous, Lilith?” she eyes her sister waiting for a rebuttal.

“Yes!” Lilith yelps, “I am jealous! You get all this free time to goof off and hell knows what! You are nearly on the edge of suspension and you just do not seem to care!” her breath is labored. The trickling of water fills the silence between them. Eda loves her sister more than anything. Her anger still lingers around her heart; hot and rippling.

All this emotion in a short amount of time is confusing; Eda isn’t sure if she is going to cry or laugh or scream, maybe a bit of all three and then some more.

“I thought you liked my pranks and my friends?” her voice is small (a feat only her sister could achieve), “I was wrong, wasn’t I?” All the anger and contempt washes away from Lilith’s face at the dejected state her sister was in.

“I, um, I think they’re fine, at least, some of them, anyway,” she mumbles like the words hurt to say, “Some of your friends are funny and not _that_ bad. I, um, I,” Lilith couldn’t make any sense of what just occurred. Her words don’t match the feeling in her chest; she wants to lash out and break something, but, she couldn’t.

“What’s the matter Lilith?” her sister’s bright orange eyes stare up at her, “Why are you like this?”

“I don’t understand.”

“Why are we fighting? How is it that you’re a different person at home than here? Am I-did I do something, Lily, did I do something?” she is pleading now, tears siege at the corner of her round eyes.

“No, Edalyn, you have done nothing wrong,” Lilith awkwardly fiddles with the knobs of the shower, silencing the water, “It’s me, you were right there is something wrong with me.” She exits the stall, still naked, water pooling at her feet. Eda rushes at her, clinging to her wet skin, the water bleeding into her clothes. “School is just getting to me. I went to Mr. Halter because he is teaching an old healing art that heals both mind and body. I didn’t mean to take it out on you. I didn’t.”

Eda listens to the sound of Lilith’s heartbeat, the rattle of her lungs, Eda doesn’t believe her fully. _There is just something missing. Like the last piece of the puzzle._

II: Nighttime Thinking

Eda has read the same page nine times; all the words mix in a blur of information and noise; never really registering in her brain. Too many things swirl around her mind, pranks, scams, and _Lily_. She slams the book ( _Potions: What are They? Why are They?)_ in a huff, _no homework tonight_ , her current “project” lay on her floor having not been assembled just yet. Bits of bone and metal are scattered in a vague T shape, ancient sigils and runes out-line the figure in blackish ink, several candles are lit with the distinct smell of incense and proom. 

“ ** _Geni’tiv teav’meld’sojwist dotsuopa-hystr’llyra_** ,” Eda’s tongue has trouble forming the words of the incantation, her pronunciation is stiff and nasally, but will suffice. Magic flushes throughout the room causing light objects to fling and shaking the weightier objects in their wake. The metal and bones bind together and form a hominoid shape, the joints of the creature glow a strange blue hue, while the head is a bluish ball of magical fire. The monstrosity kneeled before its creator and gave a guttural mumble seeking a command.

Eda grinned ear to ear, “Hello my child! I have summoned you to wreak havoc and chaos,” the creature shifted to lift itself from its crouch, “Woah there buddy, not right this second, no, not now. There is an assembly in about a week, and I wanna ruin Bump’s day,” she smirks at the shimmering structure. The metal abomination grumbled and stood tall giving off the air of annoyance. “I have a place for you to hide out, a safe house if you will, conserve your energy there,” Eda escorts her creation to the hallway window and points to a hill on the horizon, “That is where you need to go and be sure to trick any innocent passersby,” she laughed as the monster climbed over the window sill and onto the street, scaring pedestrians and delivering mayhem all along the way.

“Um, do I want to know?” a voice probed. Eda cocked her head to the side bringing into view a very sleepy Lilith. Her nightclothes hung off her body and her hands gripped a goblet of water.

“You will find out, it’s a surprise,” Eda sweetly smiled at her sibling, “Did I wake you?”

“I was just getting some water,” She drank from the goblet, “I am going back to bed now.” Lilith retreated to her room and Eda feeling a little guilty followed her.

“I can’t focus on that potion homework, too many words to fill my head, not enough summoning abominations,” Eda flopped down on top of the ruffled bed, “Your bed is lovely and comfy!”

“Yes, it is,” Lilith drowsed.

“You didn’t join me in my prank planning tonight, what’s that about? Do we have a test tomorrow?” Eda sought.

“No, I don’t think we do,” another yawn forced itself out, “I didn’t join you because my body hurts from that Vorga class,” Lilith crawled over her sister and shimmied into the blankets. Her arms found their way around Eda’s middle and Lilith seemed satisfied as a soft content sigh left her lips. Eda stared at her face; Lilith was so exhausted she forgot to remove her glasses, Eda carefully freed them, folded them, and placed them on her nightstand.

Eda looked upon that sleeping face; a ghost of a smile on those pale rose lips contrasted to the dark bags under those resting eyelids. Her breathing was light and even. She appeared happy, freed of worry and woe, _did she always appear this way? Or have I not noticed it until now? Is she only like this when I am in her bed? Around her? Questions with worrying answers. Answers that may have consequences. Whether their good or bad consequences is anyone’s guess._

Eda snuggled closer into her sister’s embrace earning a quiet moan from deep in the resting form. The sound seeped into her ears, terminating at the front of her mind; that peculiar puzzle piece elusive and just out of reach, wriggled in front of her, pleading to be put in its place. Eda’s chin nested in its habitual perch; the crook of Lilith’s neck. _It felt right to be here, to be safe, to be warm. Oh, Lily what is the matter? I know it’s not school. The only common thread running through this mystery is me. It must be, I am not that dense Lily. You are hiding something, and you have for a while. A long while._

She didn’t realize that she had dozed off; her eyes opened to find that Lilith had changed positions. Eda’s body was pinned under that sleeping sibling; something that wouldn’t have mattered much if it weren’t for the call of nature. A call that was more of a banshee scream. Eda to her credit tried to be discreet, she tried to untangle their limbs as gently as possible, tried to not shake Lilith too much.

She sat on the edge of her sister’s bed, only to be greeted with a pressing warmth on her back, those long cold fingers traveled to her clavicle.

“You’re warm,” Lilith murmured.

“Lily, I’m going to the washroom,” Eda whined trying to shake her hands off.

“Ugh, but cold,” Lilith grumbled. Eda rolled her eyes in the dark. Standing was difficult with the added weight and the differing heights of each other. Eda managed to free herself of Lilith’s grasp, only to find that her sister absently trailed behind her. “I need to pee too,” Lily whispered.

“Okay, fine. Just wait out here for a sec,” Eda pushed into the washroom. The light was blinding, a decorative clock graces the counter of the sink; it read exactly six in the morning. _Damn. I need to be up in thirty minutes. Damn those early morning school assemblies._

As Eda finished; she called for Lilith to enter, “You do what you need to. I will get the water ready for a shower, get our clothes, and towels. Let’s start our day!” she barked with fake enthusiasm. She returned as quickly as she vanished with clothes and towels in hand. Lilith had discarded all of her clothes and beckoned her sibling to the shower. The typical routine of washing the sleep from their body and attempting to reach some semblance of being coherent was adhered to. Eda stood in the flow of the warm water fighting the last dreg of sleep from her eyes.

The shower was seemingly uneventful had Lilith’s hand not lowered itself a little too far south. She blamed sleepiness and tried to pass it off as an accident. Eda was inclined to believe her, but something was amiss. That little hint of panic in her sister’s eyes, the wavering inflection in her voice, that sudden flash of awareness in her features; banishing all the sleep she claimed to have. Her fingers almost had enough reach to feel the puzzle piece, _just a bit more._ Eda watched as her sister excused herself from the washroom clumsily stammering about “smelling breakfast” or something. _Or something._

III: Lunch Insight

When Eda entered the refectory that afternoon, she was pleasantly surprised. There in her typical fashion was Lily, reading a tawdry romantic novel ( _The Man at Boiling Sea_ ). She lowered her book, smiled and waved, and then promptly returned to her reading.

“No Vorga class today, Lily?” Eda broke tradition and sat right beside her, placing her back at her feet.

“Mr. Halter said it was best to take some breaks. Also, I kinda missed this,” she postured with her book over the table, “Relaxing with a good book and better company.” Eda beamed at that.

“Well I am glad that you decided to join us,” Eda placed her hand on Lilith’s seat and came in close, “I want to have some fun,” she whispered. Her sibling’s ears became crimson red.

“What, um, wha-kinda of fun?” Lilith stuttered voice rising in octave.

“Oh, you know. The kind where you get hot and messy,” Eda’s eyes flicked down to her lips for just a second, “You’ll feel _relaxed_ ,” she raised an orange brow and smirked suggestively. All the blood in Lilith’s body fought which direction it wished to travel up _or down._ Eda giggled.

All of Eda’s friends shuffled to their seats at the table. Their faces held a barely suppressed excitement, they jittered in hushed whispers, only to be interrupted by a sly shushing. This was highlighted by a figure swaggering by their table; it was no other than Janus Mori! One of the top students in the Healing track and a member of Odalia Praga’s klick (or rather her gang). For being a “healer”, she is a short-tempered, two-faced, backstabbing, greedy, manipulative, _bitch._ Only to be outmatched by Praga herself! All their eyes followed her purple uniform as she marched towards the front of the cafeteria, pushing fellow students aside with little regard or respect.

“Hey, sis?” Eda’s lips brushed the shell of her ear, “Take this.” Lilith’s hand was loaded with a plump balloon; the solution sloshed around at the touch, thick and gooey.

“Please, pray Titan, you aren’t about to do what I think you are going to do?”

Eda leaned closer, “On the count of three aim for the purple won’t you, my dear sister? My dear _Lilith?_ ” Lily couldn’t take this. She knows that she isn’t doing it on purpose, but it’s almost like Eda is playing her _like she knows!_ Lilith rejects that very thought, rejects the wave of hope and apprehension that swelled within her at that line of thinking.

Another classmate taps Eda and mouths a word to her, “Alright! This is it,” Janus is leaving the lunch bar, strutting back towards her lunch table, and crossing right into a trap! “One, two, THREE!” A flurry of colorful balloons shells Janus and the surrounding area. Screams and laughter cascade in a cacophony of madness! Lilith is a bit embarrassed to admit; she was the first person to chuck her balloon. Janus had always been a nuisance to Lilith, but these last few days had been a special kind of hell. She had no idea how Eda had found out about it and Lilith likes to think she can hide things like that from her younger sister, but that vengeful spark lights up her eyes as Eda views the chaos of her actions.

“WHAT IS GOING ON HERE!” Principal Bump roared.

“That’s our cue everyone,” Eda uttered. In the confusion of Bump’s arrival, the entire table bolted in random directions. Lily was yanked from the table and propelled out a side-door, only to find herself near the Grudgby field. Her lungs filled with the spring air. “I am literally the best sister. Wouldn’t you agree? I would, I would agree,” Edalyn’s voice is giddy; she dances around Lilith her grin being contagious.

Eda takes Lilith’s hands and pulls her into a waltz, stepping to an imaginary beat, they spin around their imagined dancefloor.

“You didn’t have to do that, Edalyn.”

“Ah, but I did! Nobody messes with us Clawthornes! Nobody!”

Lilith thinks back to that food fight turned abomination fiasco last year, “I can say it isn’t out of character of you.” Eda threw back her head in raucous laughter.

“Janus will think twice before she messes with you again,” Eda smugness shone out, “Vogler’s Breath, she will smell like a burning cesspit for weeks.”

“Wait, doesn’t Vogler’s Breath turn your skin and hair yellow?”

“Hm? Maybe?” Eda just shrugged.

“I love you, my beautiful sister,” her voice dripped with _amorous admiration_.

It clicked. Finally, it clicked _the last piece of the puzzle. She had her suspicions. Today was a combination of plans, some that had been set in motion long before today, others that had a more situational attribute to it. She was testing Lily. Every motion, every touch, all of it planned. More and more things fell into place as the whole picture came into focus. Oh, Lily. My dear Lily._

Eda wasn’t sure if she _loved_ her sister romantically. She wasn’t _opposed_ to it, after all, rules are arbitrary and subjective, cages to box her in. She yearned to be free, to be wild, in magic and in life: with Lily in her arms as they danced in the middle of the grass, cheery and chortling, it felt good; it felt right and true. 

Her friends rendezvoused nearby, watching the siblings jovial dance, they themselves roaring in happiness. The group soon found the courage to dance along and a few members of the Bard track (lead by Fawn) played a jazzy waltz to accompany them. Eda would remember this for as long as she lived.

_School will be ending for the summer soon. The annual trip out to Theodora Lake. I will make up my mind there. Lily, you will have your answer soon enough._

IV: The Half of It

Principal Bump exhaled, staring down his nose at the occupants of his office. Twelve in total. Three from the Construction track (Danik O’Callaghan, Clifford Park, Belvedere Sinus), four from the Bard track (Fawn Woodblood, Hattie Cassius, Zaptorren Xu, Kip Katter), one from the Beast Keeping track (Oxalis Itons), another one from the Healing track (Maggie Beau), one from the Oracle track (Yondie Valiant), and the last two (Edalyn and Lilith Clawthorne). All of them looking expectantly guilty (besides their “leader”), Eda hung her legs off the chair she occupied.

“All of your parents are on their way here to pick you up. Some of you, I believed, was better than this rapscallion buffoonery,” Bump eyed Lilith hard, “Some of you are getting just a warning, others are getting a harsher punishment, and **_all of you have to apologize to Ms. Mori. All of you._** Do I make myself clear?” his voice popped with every word. Noncommittal affirmatives chorused about the crowd. “We will discuss this Monday after I talk with your parents. Now get out of my office and have a good weekend,” he stabbed at the air with his boney finger, dismissing them, “And Eda,” she perked up at her the sound of her name, “I know you are somehow responsible for this mess. You won’t weasel yourself out of this one!”

“Whatever you say Bumpikins,” she singed as she filed out of the room, “See you Monday, byee!”

“You are too much sometimes,” Lilith cooed.

“You don’t know the half of it, Lily.” 

**Author's Note:**

> Hey! Leave a comment, I love feed back and I love you! Thank you for reading.


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